The Bloody Night Calls

Chapter One

Error ~¤~

It's always frigid here... Even colder than the wastes of Snowdin during a freak blizzard.

The cold is a constant coiling thing and its been here for as long as I can remember. It seeps into my bones, numbing my Soul and blurring my mind with icy shards.

I inhale and exhale slowly, my breath clouding in the stagnant air. I watch it dissipate lazily into the white nothingness of the Anti-Void.

What I wouldn't give to be warm... just for a moment. I think as I rise from my seat on the ground and into a standing position, my bones creaking slightly. I shove my hands deep into the pockets of my long trenchcoat, suppressing the urge to shiver despite lacking skin.

Supposedly skeletons are not supposed to get cold.

What a sick joke!

With a deep sigh, I begin walking aimlessly in no particular direction. I honestly don't know if I am making any progress. All I know is that if I don't move from time to time in this place I will start to hear the Voices beckoning me. I know I can't run away, not truly. But it feels like I have some measure of control by doing this to stave them off for a little while longer.

Where do you think you're going, foolish destroyer?

I keep walking, clenching my teeth together.

You can't ignore your calling forever.

Broken.

Worthless.

Demon!

The last word is snarled with such hatred that I flinch and stumble beneath its weight.

"Piss off!" I mutter angrily, my words glitching ever so slightly.

"Well, now that's pretty rude! I just wanted to pop by for a brief visit!" A new voice says from behind. A voice I recognize all too well.

I turn to find Ink, Protector, and Liason of Creation, standing before me, a smirk on his face.

"What are you doing here?" I hiss, tension creeping into my multicolored bones.

"Bored." Ink says simply, fidgeting with the large paintbrush leaning against his ribs. "That and I wanted to give you a friendly piece of... advice." His weird multicolored-multi-shaped eyes warp into garnet triangles for a split second.

I force myself to keep from shivering, but this time for a different reason.

"Oh yeah? Who says I need any advice from a wannabe hero?" I challenge, folding my arms and meeting my foe's gaze head-on. Just keep the mask up, Error. Don't let this overgrown anomaly affect you! I silently chide as I wait for a response.

Ink shifts his weight so he is leaning against the handle of his brush, sockets narrowing at my tone. "I already know you will ignore me if I ask you why you are destroying defenseless AU's. I also know that you will not stop no matter how much I try to reason with you, so I am not going to waste my metaphorical breath." The Creator says with a slight huff.

I blink at how uncharacteristically stern Ink is being. "And?" I grumble flatly. Did he seriously come all this way just to lecture me on something he knows I CAN'T FULLY CONTROL?

As if reading my thoughts my rival shoots me a piercing glare. "Frankly I don't care what your stupid excuses are." Ink leans closer and I fight to stand still as he invades my personal space. "I'm here to deliver a warning, Error. One you would do well to heed. If you do not stop destroying my creations there will be severe consequences. You are throwing the Multiverse into chaos with your ceaseless destruction!"

My body glitches of its own accord and I bare my teeth in a snarl. "How dare you? I have no choice but to do my job!" I growl, my pitch deepening and rising with incredulity.

It's not like I fucking asked for this!

"If you would actually start creating things that are unique and useful instead of the same old copies I wouldn't be having this conversation with you right now! Hell, I would probably even enjoy the creations! But no, just go ahead and keep blaming me for all your stupid little problems!"

I'm panting by the end of my blunt tirade.

Idiot.

I thought we warned you to keep silent?

Keep speaking foolish destoyer. I dare you to say one more thing about the Balance.

The Voices circle me like vultures and I square my shoulders, ignoring the wrath in their words the best I can.

I'm not holding my tongue anymore,damn it! Truth hurts, so you had better get used to it! I think defiantly as the Voices slowly fade away again.

I chance a glance at the Creator.

Ink appears to be frozen in place, eye lights blank.

"Welp... If you're just gonna stand there... I'm gonna go." I mutter and turn to walk away, silently willing myself to breathe evenly.

"Awww. Where ya going, pal?" A bony hand suddenly grabs my shoulder, phalanges digging into where my clavicle meets my acromion painfully. "Maybe you should be reminded of your place in the Multiverse, filthy abomination!"

My body glitches uncontrollably at the contact. He's touching me! He's touching me!! HE'S TOUCHING ME!!!

A sharp blow to the skull sends me stumbling sideways, breaking me from my brief panic. With a snarl I summon my sapphire strings and launch them at my assailant.

Of course he won't listen to the truth! Stupid ink blot!

Ink dodges my strings and twirls his paintbrush, flinging a wave of bright green paint at me in retaliation. The Creator's face is warped with twisted glee and it makes my nonexistent heart sink at the sight. I manage to doge the attack in time.

"You dare preach to Fate's Chosen about the Balance? Ha! You're nothing but a mistake that Fate graciously allowed to continue existing." Ink all but spits the words at me. The ill intent behind them stings me to the very core of my fragile Soul. "And how do you repay Fate's generosity? By destroying my creations out of spite?!" Ink continues, heedless of how far from the truth he is.

I subconsciously brush my fingers against the thick azure lines staining the underside of my eye sockets and trailing down my cheek bones.

Eons of weeping have eroded its mark, showcasing my misery for all to see.

Ink speaking of Fate's Mercy makes me want to laugh and gag at the same time. Of course Fate's favored child would be oblivious to the signs of my cursed existence! I glower at the Creator, but my anger has long since dissipated from my earlier tirade. Never getting validation is a good way to dampen even the most resilient of Souls.

I heave a long-suffering sigh.

I'm so tired.

When I make no move to answer nor continue our fight Ink huffs moodily and takes up his previous nonchalant position, leaning on his over sized brush with a bored expression. At least he's not trying to kill me right now. I'll take what Mercy I can get and allow my strings to vanish.

After several long, tense moments of staring each other down I breach the awkward silence. "Are we done here?" I murmur.

"Watch your back, Error." Ink warns, eye lights dark with the swift promise of agony. And before I can summon the energy to protest the Creator uses his paintbrush to create a portal to some different dimension. He jumps through without a backward glance, as if this whole terrible encounter never even happened.

Dark ERROR signs engulfs my sight as my body glitches and white noise overcomes my senses. Finally I can panic in peace.

I let unconsciousness sweep over me not a second later.